Going on a cruise

Saturday we went on a one-day cruise around the island and its surroundings. We had the opportunity to go round the outermost part of Indonesia, which is absolutely stunning. I never knew there was a plenty of tropical islands, where wild and exotic creatures live in the lush, untouched tropical jungle, just a few kilometers away from the city. We also passed by the first and second Barelang Bridge that connect the islands of Batam, Tonton, and Nipah.

On board activities we luxuriated included traditional dance and band performances, karaoke, seafood, games, interacting, and sightseeing from the upper deck. This trip was sponsored by the school for the faculty and staff to celebrate the end of this school year

I had a thoughtful conversation with the secondary school headmaster this morning. I just wanted to say goodbye because I’m leaving the school soon. Turns out he is actually leaving, too — quite earlier than I am. It’s really unfortunate that the school has to lose such a well-rounded, persevering leader like him, whose capacity and dedication were taken for granted. Well, he might be a bit too idealistic once in awhile but I can’t deny the fact that he was named one of the best school headmasters in town for 2 consecutive years!

During his short tenure he has truly inspired me in so many ways. I really admired how he kept on going through it all in stride with a big smile on his face, when everybody was completely against him. Through him I learned that strength is not merely the ability to persist, but also the ability to start over. He is the definition of endurance, a truly remarkable person. In a few weeks, both of us have to start over again with a blank page as our foundational move and it’s up to us how we are going to fill that page. One thing’s for sure, he is not going to intentionally leave it blank.